Lymphedema
What Is Lymphedema?
Lymphedema involves blockage of the lymph vessels, which drain fluid from tissues throughout the body and allow immune cells to travel where they are needed.
There are many causes of lymphedema(swelling of the lymph passages). These include certain infections (for example, chronic cellulitis or parasitic infections such as filariasis), trauma, tumors, certain surgeries, and radiation therapy. In addition, there are rare forms of congenital (present from birth) lymphedema which probably result from abnormalities in the development of the lymphatic vessels.
In Western societies, one of the most common causes of lymphedema is mastectomy with axillary dissection (removal of the breast and underarm lymph tissue for breast cancer). This can cause lymphedema of the arm in 10-15% of patients. This occurs because the lymphatic drainage of the arm passes through the axilla (armpit), and tissue in the axilla has been removed during mastectomy.
Recurrent cellulitis, or infection of the skin, can damage lymphatic vessels and lead to lymphedema of the affected area. This is more commonly seen in obese patients.
Treatment of Lymphedema
The vast majority of patients with lymphedema will not need surgery. Non-surgical management includes use of compression stockings applied to the affected arm or leg, intermittent pneumatic compression pumps, elevation of the limb and meticulous skin care to prevent injuries and skin breakdown. Your health care provider will recommend the appropriate treatment method of lymphedema for you.
Surgical therapy for lymphedema is used in some cases, but has met with limited success and requires significant experience and technical expertise. Surgical therapy includes removal of tissue containing abnormal lymphatics, and less commonly, transplant of tissue from areas with normal lymphatic tissues to areas with abnormal lymphatic drainage. Rarely, bypass of abnormal lymphatic tissue is attempted, in some cases using vein grafts. Such procedures are frequently unsuccessful and often performed only under experimental protocols.
Learn more about lymphedema at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University. As a national leader in cancer care & research and ranked among the best treatment facilities in the country, it is one of only 38 cancer centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. NCI designation is an assurance of excellent care and comprehensive treatment options, including access to the latest clinical trials.
Lymphedema
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